Carl Reitsma

Carl Reitsma , 89, of Chandler, MN, died Saturday, July 26, 2014 at Edgebrook Care Center in Edgerton, MN. Visitation will be held from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 29 at the Chandler Christian Reformed Church and one hour prior to the service on Wednesday. Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 30, 2014, at the Chandler Christian Reformed Church in Chandler, with the family service at 10:30 a.m.  Burial will be held at the Chandler Memorial Cemetery after the service.

Carl Reitsma was born Oct 2, 1924 to Peter K and Clara (Haarsma) Reitsma on a farm near Fulda, MN. Carl attended school at Bigelow, MN as well as several different country schools in the Bigelow and Worthington areas. He and his family moved to Chandler in 1942.  He married Harriet Peters on Feb 23, 1947 at the Chandler CRC. They lived on a farm northeast of Chandler until Dec 1995 when they moved to an apartment in Chandler.

Harriet went to her eternal home in August 1997. Carl lived in Chandler until March 2009 when he moved to the Edgebrook apartments. In April 2014 Carl was diagnosed with lung cancer and moved to the Edgebrook Care Center where he was blessed to receive care from a caring staff which included a daughter, two granddaughters and a grandson until the Lord took him to his heavenly home on July 26, 2014.

Carl professed his faith at age 20 at the Chandler CRC and has been a member since that time. He served several terms as deacon and elder. He also served on the boards of Chandler Chr School, SWCH, the Lake Geneva Bible Conference, and other committees and organizations.

Farming was his profession as well as his hobby. He enjoyed helping out at the farm long into his retirement. Carl enjoyed being of service and helping others. While living at Edgebrook, he especially enjoyed visiting and helping other residents at the Edgebrook Care Center.

Carl is lovingly remembered by nine children, twenty-five grandchildren and twenty-nine great-grandchildren with three more expected in the next few months. The Lord blessed Carl and Harriet with one son, Roger and Janice (Van Hulzen) Reitsma of Chandler; three daughters, Karen and Stan Wynia of Maurice, IA, Brenda and Norm Kruse of Leota, and Thea and Ron Nykamp of Edgerton. Carl and Harriet also parented the children of his brother, the late Pete and Jeanette (De Kruif) Reitsma; Marcia and Glen Talsma of Chandler, Glen Reitsma of Worthington, Duane and Julie (Post) Reitsma of Chandler, Lois and Arlan Schmidt of Woodstock, and Sharon and Darren Zonnefeld of Urbandale, IA.

Carl is also dearly remembered by four sisters, Tillie Struiksma of Edgerton, Minnie Elsing of Worthington, Clara Marie Peters of Sunnyside, WA, and Jeanette Vanden Bosch of Jerome, Idaho.  He was preceded in death by one grandchild, Kyla Joy Wynia; brother and sister-in-law, John and Luella Reitsma, sister and brother-in-law, Ellen and Peter Vogel; brother and sister-in-law, Pete and Jeannette Reitsma; brother-in-laws John Struiksma, John Elsing, George Peters and Marvin Vanden Bosch; two brothers and two sisters in infancy.

Memorials can be directed to Christian Education or the Gideons.